Baby Dilema
by CrazyNinjaChicks
Summary: When Ziva finds a baby in a dumpster the little girl brings some of Ziva's many secrets to the surface. Are her feelings for Tony finally revealed and what will happen if Gibbs takes the baby away?
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first fan fic so go easy on me if it isn't that great. I got this idea after watching a 'bones' episode.**

**Regrettably I don't own NCIS or Bones. No infringment intended.**

**Chapter One**

The bullpen was silent apart from the occasional excited outburst from Tony playing Tetris on his phone, the steely rasp of Ziva sharpening her knife, the clack of keys from McGee's keyboard and the low humming that emanated from Gibbs. The peace was broken by the sudden ringing of the phone; Gibbs answered before it had rung twice.

"Yeah, Gibbs." After a few brief words that equipped him with an address he hung up, he was about to say 'grab your gear' but Ziva and McGee were already moving, Tony on the other hand stayed where he was, engrossed in his game.

"DiNozzo!" barked Gibbs, indicating towards the elevator with his hand.

"Just a minute boss, I'm about to beat my high-score." He replied, distracted. Gibbs snatched the phone away and threw it in Tony's full coffee mug.

"Of what? Two?" asked Gibbs, Tony looked up at him pitifully like a child whose favorite toy had been taken away.

"That hurt boss." Gibbs began to walk after McGee and Ziva.

"You know what DiNozzo? I don't care, move your ass." Tony grabbed his gun, his badge and, after a second long debate with himself, his coffee drenched cell phone.

They had seen this kind of crime scene a lot; a deserted alley with a couple of dumpsters and forgotten trash, the odor of rotting food and unwashed bodies assaulted their noses as the climbed out of the van. Tony, of course, riding in back, middle hump.

"Boss, why did Ziva drive?" He asked wincing as his aching body parts stretched.

"Because she asked. Why, you got a problem with that?" It was a challenge and Gibbs knew Tony would back down.

"No boss, 'course not boss." Came the answer he expected. Gibbs walked away, his beloved coffee in hand, and went to see what Ducky had found.

"God this place stinks." Tony complained. Ziva, who was next to him, sniffed his arm pit.

"Oh, I thought it was you." She interjected, Tony laughed sarcastically.

"Not funny _officer_ David." Tony was angry and tired and sore and didn't want crude jokes made at his already wounded ego, he laid the extra stress on 'officer' just to show he was above her to anger her so she would leave him alone. It worked too; she stalked away muttering something in Hebrew that he thought sounded like swearing and insults.

Gibbs voice shouted through the empty alley way.

"DiNozzo, photos. McGee, sketch. David, bag and tag."

Muttered replies of compliance could be heard from various corners.

Tony snapped photos of the body; twisted, mangled and bloody, he took shots of the brass that the murderer had forgotten to police, bloody hand prints against the dirty wall, blood spray across a dumpster and last but not least a picture of Ziva in a dumpster searching for the murder weapon; he could tease her with that later. Then, all of a sudden she stopped, "Gibbs!" she called.

"What? You found it?"

"No a baby." She held up a little girl with dark brown hair.

**So... What do you think? Please reveiw, any fresh ideas would be great.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay... thanks for the reveiws they really help. After much consideration I've got a baby name; Isabella. In hebrew it means sign from god or something. Is it a sign for Ziva? Even I don't know. Enjoy.**

**Chapter Two**

"Is she still alive?" Ducky asked, rushing over as he saw the infant held awkwardly in Ziva's arms. Ziva checked for a pulse in her neck… it was there, slow and faint. She nodded, "She's asleep." Ziva stated, confused. The noise and commotion should have woken her.

"More importantly," Tony interrupted, "what is she doing here?" he took a picture. "Aww, Ziva's a mom." He teased. The flash had woken the baby and she squirmed and wailed, Ziva suddenly held her at arms length; as if she were dangerous. Gibbs took her with one arm, discarding his coffee with the other, and cradled her gently. The baby's cries slowly stopped.

"You always had a thing for kid's boss." Observed Tony.

"Ziva keep looking for a weapon."

"I have Gibbs, it's not there." She objected; everyone looked at her in shock; no one questioned Gibbs.

"Look again."

"I have."

"Look again Officer David, it wasn't a suggestion!" Gibbs was being formal, not a good sign.

"At Mossad, we don't miss things, we have to be thorough sometimes our lives depend on it. It is our training. I have double checked every dumpster, every piece of trash, every minuscule place that a murder weapon could be hidden, places that it couldn't be hidden. I didn't miss it Gibbs, it is not here." Ducky, Jimmy, Tony, McGee and even Gibbs looked at her in awe as her voice grew steadily louder. Ziva always stood up for herself but this was one step more, Gibbs believed her; the murder weapon was not here.

"If you're so sure about that Ziva then you can take Bella and clean her up in the truck."

"Bella?" McGee asked.

"It's embroidered on the jumpsuit McGee." He answered.

Ziva was taken by surprise, she wasn't good with children and Gibbs knew it. There was something about the crying and the fact that they were so small that put her off, she felt like she would break her.

"On second thoughts Gibbs, I might double check." She said hesitantly. Gibbs laughed, "No, no you seemed very sure during that little speech of yours."

"Gibbs…" she pleaded.

"Come here." Ziva dutifully plodded forward, "Arms out." Ziva stuck her arms out in front of her, trying to ignore the snorting laughter and camera flashes coming from Tony's direction; her cheeks turned bright red.

Gibbs placed Bella on the crook of Ziva's elbows and observed Ziva for a reaction.

Slowly, and somewhat doubtfully, Ziva moved her arms by herself to hold the baby. One hand resting on her back, the other on her head, Bella squirmed for a minute and Ziva's eyes were full of doubt again.

"It's okay, relax Ziva. Put her head close to your chest." His plan had worked Ziva's maternal instincts, slight as they were, were finally kicking in.

Ziva looked at him, "Why?"

"She will relax if she can hear your heart beat." Ziva uneasily moved the baby's head. Bella settled and grabbed at Ziva's jacket with her small hand. A small smile broke out across her face, one that the team had not seen before; it was soft, loving; a motherly smile. Tony snuck around in front of her while she was occupied and snapped a picture. Ziva looked up, anger flaring in her eyes but it disappeared when she saw that Tony was not teasing, he flashed a genuine smile and went back to taking photos. Suddenly embarrassed, Ziva walked quickly behind the truck and out of sight.

The metal scraping and dull thunk of the gurney in the back of Ducky's truck, told Ziva that they were finished. She gently slung a sleeping Bella over her shoulder and climbed out of the back of the truck.

"Shotgun!" she called to Tony and McGee, who were busy lugging gear back from the taped off area a hundred meters away. She smiled with satisfaction when she heard their disgruntled groans and complaints.

Poor Tony, still not forgiven for his earlier behavior, was in back again but this time Gibbs was driving. He couldn't decide who was worse; Gibbs or Ziva? At least until Gibbs took one of his 'shortcuts'.

"Tony!" Ziva shouted over the crying.

"Ziva?" he asked confused, "What are you doing here?"

"You are at work Tony." She explained, rocking Bella back to blissful silence.

'I didn't know you had kids Ziva." He was clearly still asleep.

"Tony!" she yelled, throwing her stapler at him, "Wake up!"

"Hey! Oww! What was that?"

"Hey guys, what's going on?" McGee mumbled sleepily.

"Go back to sleep McGee." They said in unison. McGee laid his head down again obediently, snoring softly.

"You got any superglue?" Tony asked smiling devilishly. It slipped off his face when he was whacked over the head.

"What did I say last time DiNozzo?" Gibbs warned. Tony's face fell.

"That next time the skin might not grow back." He replied dutifully, returning to his desk.

"Go home and sleep. We aren't getting any work done."

"Nah I think I might stay here boss," Tony yawned, laying his head back down, "Too tired to go back home."

Gibbs looked at Ziva; sitting in her chair, cradling and reassuring the baby in her arms.

"You ever want kids Ziva?" that question had popped up again and again she tried to avoid answering it. 'Simple question." He prompted.

"I don't have a simple answer." Gibbs sat at his desk and leaned forward as if expecting information.

"We're not going anywhere." He shrugged.

"I-I-I-,"she stuttered, "It's just that…" she took a deep breath, "I'm scared. Scared that I won't be a good mother or that the father leaves me to fend for myself and a child and if I had kids my career would be over. I would not be able to stay a field agent, I would be on desk duty full time and I hate desk work," suddenly it was all flooding out, "and Tony is afraid of commitment and even if he did love me he would leave as soon as he got bored with me and if he stayed because he did love me and then I got pregnant he would leave anyway." She clapped her hand over her mouth suddenly aware that she had said too much.

"Tony?" Gibbs asked, his voice frighteningly quiet.

"I should not have said anything Gibbs, don't bring up personal questions please." She pleaded.

Gibbs got up, "It's okay Ziva, but my rules are still there and you wont break them unless you want your ass back in Israel." He walked to the elevator and saw the pain in Ziva's eyes before the steel doors blocked them from view. He couldn't help but feel sorry for her. It was like de jevu, like him and Jenny. He had wasted his chance, he had let her slip away. Jenny was the reason there was a rule number 12, because she had hurt him and didn't want to admit that relationships between co-workers could work out sometimes and he didn't want to have that fact proven by his own team. It would hurt too much. Jenny was gone, dead. It was his fault it hadn't worked out and now he was deprieving Tony and Ziva the chance to make things happen. He could see the affection in their eyes when the looked at each other and sometimes the loathing hate, yes his eyesight was weak but he wasn't blind. In the morning there would be a new rule number 12; 'don't waste chances'.

**So what do you think, please reveiw and thanks for your suggestions last time.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Four.**

Ziva began to stir at 0500, her body clock telling her it was time to wake up. A loud snort woke her up fully. She pulled her blanket away and rolled out from under the desk.

"You awake?" Tony asked. Ziva was startled, she thought it was Tony who had been snoring.

"Stupid question Tony." She replied, "Where is Gibbs?" Tony jerked his thumb at his sleeping boss. Gibbs had woken her.

"Where is Bella?" Tony asked innocently.

"Oh no, oh… lealazel." She cursed, searching frantically under her desk. She stopped when she heard Tony laugh.

"Where is she Tony?" Ziva asked, her eyes venomous.

"Why does everyone always suspect me?" Ziva looked at him, "Okay good point."

"Where is she Tony?"

"I've never seen you so protective-."

"Tony!"

"Alright, alright… she's down with Abby-."

"Abby!?" Ziva screeched, getting up too quickly and bumping into her desk. Tony got up and grabbed her arm before she could run off to the elevator.

"Hey…hey, slow down. She will be fine okay, Ducky is there too… and," he went back to his desk and pulled out a brand new nappy bag, "I left her with Abby so I could get these." Ziva was struck dumb.

"Tony," her voice was little more than a whisper, "Why?" was all she could say.

"I don't know," he said uneasily, "I guess because I haven't seen you this involved or…happy, in a long time. I don't know… it makes me happy to see you happy, it makes me want to be near you and hear you laugh, see you smile." He walked closer and his voice lowered into a seductive purr. Ziva found herself being drawn closer until they were almost touching.

"But it would be totally unappropriate for me to have those feelings, wouldn't it Miss David? Especially if old Gibbs is just around the corner."

"You know what Tony?" she whispered, drawing closer, "I don't care." And they closed the gap between them with a ferious kiss, denied from them for four years, Tony could have taken her there and then but a sharp whistle interrupted their tonsil hockey.

"Hey!" shouted Gibbs from up in MTAC. Ziva and Tony sprang apart, flustered but very pleased with themselves.

"Ziva go say bye to Bella."

"WHAT?!."


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for your reveiws guys they really help. Okay so in this chapter we learn a bit about what happens to Bella but the big picture is in the next chapter. I love this chapter just because of the conflict between the characters. **

Gibbs walked into autopsy, hoping that Ducky had finished his initial examination.

"Ah Jethro, I've been meaning to talk to you." Was Gibbs' greeting.

"What have you got for me Duck?" Ducky just looked at him, "What? Do I have food stuck in my teeth?"

"No, but you seem to have a glitch in your brain." Ducky answered coldly.

"What is going on Ducky? What have you found about the body?"

"Nothing spectacular Gibbs, in fact nothing worthy of speech compared to what you have done to the woman upstairs to reduced her to tears. Have you no heart Jethro?"

"I have a heart Ducky and mine, unlike his," he indicated at the table, "Is still beating. Tell me something that will help me find out who did this to him, so I can shoot the bastard."

"Don't be so rash Jethro, it was never your style."

"Ducky." Gibbs warned.

"But you were always impatient; yes well our petty officer was dead before these numerous cuts were administered, but not long after, as you can tell from the amount of blood loss. No these cuts; if you look from a distance, actually have a message. It was mr Palmer who discovered it, trying to fish Special Agent Lee's underwear down from the ceiling fan. Yes he discovered that this poor man did indeed have something to say."

"And that is..?" prompted Gibbs'

"That he was only the first."

"Dammit, now the bastard is counting." Gibbs stalked out, Ducky called him back.

"Jethro? It might interest you to know that there were a series of gashes made before he died." Gibbs turned around. "I'm listening."

"They were hastily, frantically done, and with an object that was none too sharp."

"A rock?" Gibbs guessed. Ducky shook his head.

"His own fingernails, I found some skin under his nails. I hoped it would be our killer's but it was his own, Abby got the results about half an hour ago."

"So why am I only hearing about this now?" Ducky actually laughed.

"Even down here, I could hear Miss David and yourself, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, yes I don't think she would have liked to have interrupted. At my age my reflexes are far to slow."

"She hasn't been scorned Ducky… she's just pissed. Why did Petty officer Jacob Cane try to slit his arms with his own fingers?"

"It was a message; 'Protect Bella'."

"You're sure?"

"It's hard to say, he abbreviated most crudely, the message was almost indecipherable."

"Can I go now?" Gibbs asked.

"Are you safe from Ziva?"

"I'll manage." He left again. Ducky turned back to the body.

"Yes, he always does." He told Jacob Cane.

"Tim? Where's our crazy little Israeli?" Tony was shaken, he had seen Ziva angry, he had seen her cry, he had heard her swear but not in a language he could understand, but this was different.

Not only had she done all these things at once, she had yelled at Gibbs and as if he were the cannon ball that finally blew away that wall that she wouldn't let anyone pass, she had let all her emotions run free. Halfway through their row Ziva, in her fury, had lapsed back into Hebrew and when she realized nobody could understand her, she turned on her heel and literally sprinted out of the squad room. Tony had made after her but McGee had grabbed his arm 'let her cool off' he had said. And for the first time, Tony actually took McGee's advice.

"Did you just call me Tim?" McGee asked, shocked.

"Do you want me to call you Probie again?"

"I don't know where she is Tony, find Bella find her I guess."

"I bet you 20 she isn't with the kid." Tony tried to joke and make light of the situation.

"I don't want to bet Tony." McGee whispered before going back to his work.

"Yeah… me neither." And he did the same.

After half an hour of uncomfortable silence, McGee finally spoke up.

"What do you think Gibbs did to make Ziva so angry?"

"Hell, I don't know McNo-Brain!" Tony shouted.

"You seemed to be listening pretty intently." McGee shot back.

"It's like a tennis match; you follow the ball but you don't really know what is going on." Tony dropped his voice, "Sorry Probie… I'm just scared."

"Me too Tony."

_**At Ziva's place.**_

The fight played over and over again in her head, each time bringing a new flood of tears. She didn't like to drink, only when she was depressed, but had already emptied two bottles of wine and was starting on a third.

When she had cried herself dry and the only noise that could be heard was her hiccups and sad jazz in the background, she lulled into a drunken sleep on her couch.

"Hey Ziva! Open up!" Tony bashed on her door loudly, waking her from a dreamless sleep.

"Go away Tony." She croaked. The knocking stopped and she thought he had left until her door swung open. He closed the door sheepishly.

"You shouldn't have taught me that." He stated, lingering in the doorway. Ziva pulled the blanket over her head and ignored him. She felt him sit down near her feet.

"Go away Tony." She repeated. She heard the chink of glass bottles on the floor.

"Geez Ziva, you drink all of this?" he nudged a bottle with his foot. "You are going to have a killer hangover."

"I don't care." She mumbled from under the blanket, sounding like a cranky teenager.

"You will in the morning." He said in a sing-song voice and tickled her feet, then remembered she wasn't ticklish.

"Just leave Tony."

"No."

"Why not!" she yelled, pulling the blanket away from her face.

"Because I have a hot date tonight and I think I'm falling in love with her."

"So why are you with me?"

"Because I need to know if she feels the same way and if she wants to go for a ride later."

"Then go and find out."

"I'm asking her now." He laughed.

Ziva was silent for a minute, her mind not able to comprehend the fact that Tony was falling in love with her.

"I do not want to go for a ride." She sniffled.

"Then we'll stay here and _I_ will finish this." He grabbed the bottle from Ziva's hand.

"Shouldn't you be at work?"

"I was going to ask you the same question." Tony put the wine down and grabbed Ziva's cold hand. He pulled her into a sitting position and maneuvered her onto his lap. She just sat there, her head on his shoulder his head in her hair. He toyed with her hair, then said, "You still haven't answered my question."

"What question?" she breathed, she was exhausted.

"Do you like me back?"

"No." Tony stiffened, "I love you. I feel safe and warm when you hold me. I feel like a baby in my mother's arms" This struck a tender nerve and the tears started to fall again. She clung to Tony and sobbed into his shoulder.

"We'll get her back Ziva… I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." She cried.

"I never do."

**I promise you more Tiva in the next chapter and I mean serious lip-locking. Please reveiw I would love to hear what you think about what will happen to Bella. Will it end in tears? You'll have to wait.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry that this took so long but school has been crazy. Anyway, as requested, here is a re-cap of 'the fight' and more tiva tantrums. Enjoy…**

_"WHAT!" Ziva shouted at the top of her lungs, the squadroom was immediately quiet. Tony tapped her on the shoulder._

_"I think he said 'say bye to Bella'." Ziva turned on him, "I know Tony!" she screamed in his face. Tony fled to his desk like a little girl and watched from behind the relative safety of his computer._

_"What do you mean 'say bye to Bella!'? She is not going anywhere Gibbs, not now. Not until we solve this!" she shouted halfway across the bullpen._

_"You don't concentrate Ziva! You're either looking after her or staring at Tony! She is going with social services so you can get your job done!"_

_"Social Services!? Social Services!? Is there something wrong with your brain Gibbs? What if someone is after her? Huh? Is she really going to be safe there?"_

_"The longer you are pre-occupied with that girl the longer that dirt bag is out there! Is that what you want?"_

_McGee stepped through the elevator and immediately began to step back in once he heard the argument but Tony closed the gap between them faster than believed possible and dragged him over. McGee, trying to be discreet, scurried to his desk. Ziva caught sight of him and continued her verbal assault._

_"What about McGee?" she shouted, "you didn't send his sister to 'social services' or juvenile prison when you thought she killed that sailor. Bella is just a baby, she didn't do anything, she didn't kill anyone, she is just a little girl who has no mother, no father and no one to take care of her." Tears were welling in her eyes and it made her angrier when Gibbs just stood there. She snatched the stapler from her desk and hurled it at him. Unlucky for him, Ziva's aim was as good as anything and, even thought he ducked, the stapler smashed into his shoulder. Tony and McGee looked at each other, fear in their eyes, and then looked back at Gibbs and Ziva. They stood little more than a meter apart now, their eyes locked and their shoulders squared. Tony knew that if anyone could take Gibbs it was Ziva but he was still afraid that this argument would turn into a fist fight. If it did he knew who he would defend first. _

_In her anger Ziva had unconsciously reverted back to Hebrew. The already baffled agents just stared at her as she continued to rant and rave in a language none of them understood. Every now and then Tony would catch a word that he vaguely remembered._

_"…arabushim… botz… go'al nefesh… ima… miscainah… shtuyot… muglev… meshuggassen." Every time someone tried to interrupt she would shout, 'schtock' and continue to yell. When she finally calmed down enough to take a breath, she stopped long enough to see the befuddled faces of her co-workers. Coming to the realization that they hadn't understood a word from the past 10 minutes she turned on her heel and ran towards the elevator, frantically wiping away tears that she didn't want to be seen. She heard Tony call after her but her only reply was, " I'hitra'ot" or, goodbye. _

Ziva was prodded awake from her dream by one of Tony's blunt fingers.

"Hey, Sweet cheeks, time to wake up." He murmured in her ear.

"Tony?" she asked, alarmed, "What are you doing here?" she saw the empty bottles of wine on the floor and was afraid that she had done something stupid. She looked down and ran her hands over her legs to make sure she was still fully clothed.

"I hadn't meant to stay but you fell asleep and I didn't want to wake you."

"Oh." She sighed, leaning back into him. She was so content with her head against his chest, listening to his heart with his arms around her waist. She didn't want to move.

"Come on Sweet cheeks, you're heavy." Ziva rolled off the lounge and onto the floor, laying there for a minute before heaving herself to her feet and walking away.

"Hey! Where are you going?"

"To bed."

"What about work?" She faked a cough.

"I am sick, I am staying home."

"Then I'm staying with you."

"Why Tony?" she asked, facing him.

"I heard you talking to Gibbs Ziva. I won't get bored with you, you're my crazy Israeli and surprise me every day with something new. I do love you Ziva and I would never leave you, not even if the earth turned on it's axes and Gibbs threatened to kill me if I stayed with you. Because without you Ziva life isn't worth living, I finally figured out that I wasn't afraid of commitment I just hadn't found the right girl… and now that I have I don't want to let her go. If you were in danger I would send an entire army to protect you, not that you would need it with your ninja mossad skills, I don't want to lose you Ziva. Even if that means being neutered by Gibbs for standing up to him."

"You'd do that for me?" Ziva asked incredulously. Tony nodded.

"And more." Ziva threw her arms around him.

"I think I want that ride now."

"Where to Ms David?"

"Social Services." Tony's heart thudded in his chest and his enthusiasm dropped somewhat. But pushing all feelings of doubt and worry aside he leant down and kissed her full on the mouth. Ziva responded by pushing her tongue into his mouth but Tony pulled back. "Social Services." He reminded her and grabbed his keys, Ziva nodded and hurried out the door.

"So what are we going to do exactly?" Tony asked as they cruised down the highway, Ziva's answer was cut off by Tony's cell phone.

"It's Gibbs," he said, "What do I tell him?"

"Improvise." Tony rolled his eyes and answered his cell.

"DiNozzo, I'm at Ziva's place boss," he winked at her, Ziva's eyes widened and she was making cut off motions with her hands, "She's pretty cut up boss, cried herself into a cold… It's probably only a 24 hour thing but, I'm staying with her to make sure she doesn't kill herself by falling asleep in the tub… Sorry boss she's sleeping… Yeah sure, see you tomorrow." Tony hung up. "Was I good or was I good?"

"Well seeing as you are so good why don't you find a way to get legal guardianship of Bella."

"Whoa rewind and freeze." Tony pulled over at a truck stop. "Explain."

"Explain what?"

"Ziva you were with the kid for 24 hours, how the hell did you get so attached that you want legal guardianship." Ziva looked away.

"I can not tell you."

"Ziva you have way too many secrets, too many walls around you. You have to let people in."

"I can not." Tony grabbed her chin so she would face him. He looked into her eyes.

"Do you love me?"

"Yes." She whispered.

"Then let me in Sweet cheeks." Ziva took a deep breath.

"It is a long story."

"We aren't going anywhere."

"Where do I start?"

"At the beginning." Ziva was silent for a long time, then; "When I was 17, I wasn't old enough to be recruited in the army but my boyfriend was. Being the daughter of the deputy director of mossad meant that I spent a lot of time around headquarters and so the night before Yoni went away we… had sex in a weapons carrier. I waited for months for a period that wouldn't come and when I started throwing up I knew that I was pregnant. I wrote to Yoni to tell him but before I even sent it… my father read it."

"Oh Ziva…"

"Yoni had been killed in combat and I wanted to get rid of the baby but my father wouldn't let me. He said that it would be a punishment."

"Ziva I don't understand. How is a baby a punishment?"

"To me it meant I would never be able to be in the army or join mossad because I would be tied down with a child but by the time I gave birth I knew that he had meant something else. She was so beautiful, I called her Isabella and before I was even allowed to hold her… aba…aba took her away." Ziva began to sob into his shoulder and he held as she cried. "She was put up for adoption and I never saw her again, but when I was sent back to Israel I found her again. Tony that is why I did not want to come back, because my life was morphing back the way it was before I had even been to America."

"Is that why you went back to Israel that week? To visit her?" She nodded, "Then who was that man in the photo?"

"Her boyfriend."

"And she's sending you photo's and telling you about her personal life already? She'd only be 12, that guy looked 20 odd."

"The light made him look older, he is only 13 a daughter tells her mother everything." Ziva smiled.

"So are you glad you found her?"

"As horrible as this may sound; I wish that she was never born. It would have made my life so much easier but I am glad I have gotten to see her."

"What does she look like?" Ziva pulled a picture from her wallet and handed it to him. A young girl looked over her shoulder at him. He looked at the picture and then at Ziva and then back at the picture. It was like a mirror image they looked exactly the same except for the 17 years age gap.

"So let me get this straight… you had a kid at 17 your father put her up for adoption, you were sent here as a liaison officer and then you were booted back and then you found your daughter and had a good old chat. Then you were sent to Morocco where you proceeded to blow yourself up and then you came back here, went on a holiday to visit said daughter instead of a mysterious lover and then found a baby in a dumpster that has a vague resemblance to you and goes by the name of Bella,." he took a breath, "So it's like de javu except this time Gibbs is your father, Bella is your daughter and it's social services instead of an adoption agency. Yeah I can see why you had a spas at Gibbs. Hey one question… Did you throw a stapler at your dad?"

"No… I threw a knife." Tony looked as if he were seriously analyzing this information.

"Ah huh and, just one more question, just how much does childbirth hurt? I mean women call us insensitive bastards all the time about that." Ziva ran through the best way to describe it in her head.

"Remember when we were under cover?"

"How can I forget?"

"Well remember when I kneed you in a rather uncalled for fashion?"

"Yeah that hurt like all hell by the way."

"Well times that by 10 and you are in just as much pain as a woman giving birth."

"It really hurts that much?"

"Oh yes."

"You poor buggers, I have a new-found sympathy for women." And he gave Ziva a hug.

"There I let you in, I don't feel any better about it, so can we get going please."  
"Sure thing."

**So how do you like that spin? Am I good or am I good. No not really okay I have no idea about custody transfers so just go with me in the next chapter, which shouldn't take as long to write as this I am hoping. Reveiws are deeply appreciated and I need some ideas guys cause I have hit a major writers block so get those creative juices flowing. **


	6. Chapter 6

**As I said before I have no idea about adoption procedures/ custody transfers. So bear with me and just go with it.**

For the remaining duration of the trip Ziva's hand never left Tony's and when they got out of the car and walked down the path Tony's arm was wrapped around her waist.

They walked through the sliding glass doors and into a pernickety tidy reception area; Tony turned his nose up in distaste and Ziva grimaced at the smell of floor cleaner and turpentine.

"Can I help you?" asked an equally neat, blonde woman behind a cedar counter.

"Ah…maybe." Tony replied, uncertainly. Ziva rolled her eyes.

"We are looking for a little girl."

"Too adopt?" asked the ditsy woman. Ziva nodded.

"Well we have procedures that you will have to follow. So;" she looked at her computer monitor, "Are you two married?" Tony looked at Ziva but she was smiling and holding out her left hand. A small ring glinted in the light.

"Ah-huh." She smiled. Tony quickly followed suit, "Yeah three months ago." He grinned and leant down to kiss Ziva's cheek. He whispered in her ear, "Rule # 7." _Always be specific when you lie._

"Please. Not public displays of affection. Second; why are you adopting?" Ziva immediately looked at the ground before burying her face in Tony's jacket and pretended to cry.

"My wife keeps miscarrying." Tony explained gently, rubbing Ziva's back while she faked sobbed. The woman seemed apathetic as Ziva cried.

"So if there was the chance that you could carry a child full-term would you still treat your adopted child as your own?" Ziva cried louder, Tony was amazed by how real she sounded.

"Of course there is always room in the DiNozzo family."

"Okay well I'll have to perform a background check so if you could give me your full name please and take a seat." A flicker of panic ran through Tony and Ziva but they played it cool. He had a plan.

"Of course; Anthony DiNozzo. Do you mind if I make a phone call?"

"Electronic devices may only be used outside sir."

"Sure." He flashed his 1000 watt smile and led Ziva away.

"Tony we are banged." Ziva hissed.

"It's busted Ziva and I have a plan don't worry. Hey where did you get that ring?"

"Just carry out your plan Tony we don't have time."

"That chick is a ditz." He muttered while he dialed Abby's number.

"No brain… she's your type."

"You're my type Sweet cheeks." He grinned pulling her beside him in a rough hug. She hugged him back. Abby picked up.

"Scuito extraordinaire, how may I help you?"

"Hey Abs it's Tony, I need your help and fast."

"How fast?"

"Faster than the McGeek has ever gone."

"I do that all the time."

"Just really fast Abby, faster than the stapler Ziva threw at Gibbs."

"Oh I heard about that-."

"Abby!"

"Right, right, talk later work now. So what do you want?"

"A fake ID for two."

"Okay… tell me what you need."

"I need you to slightly modify my file."

"What do you want changed? Your track record with women?"

"No. I need it to say that Ziva is my wife."

"Why?"

"Not now Abs."

"DiNozzo, David, DiNozzo-David, David-DiNozzo?"

"DiNozzo-David." He replied quickly.

"Whoa Tony, fast reply. You haven't been thinking about this have you?" Abby teased, Tony could hear the tap of keys in the background. "Anything else?"

"Yeah, Ziva has to be an American citizen.?"

"Why?"

"Explain later, just make sure you make that cover iron-clad." He was about to hang up then, "When were you two married?"

"I said three months ago. You figure out the rest." He hung up before Abby could ask anymore questions.

"Right," he pocketed his cell, "Let's go back inside."

"I do not like it in there." Ziva grumbled.

"Neither does Bella, let's get her out of there."

When they re-entered the too-clean reception the blonde woman was fussing around on the computer, clearly confused with the procedure that would bring up Tony's fake file.

"Good," Tony whispered, "Abby had heaps of time." The woman looked up.

"Time for what sir?" she asked

"My sister Abby dropped us off here before she took Dad too the pub. He gets angry when he misses the stripers." Tony explained without a second thought. The woman wasn't listening anymore she had finally gotten in.

"Okay Mr DiNozzo and Mrs-." She checked the computer again. Ziva saved her the trouble.

"DiNozzo-David. Just DiNozzo is fine."

"Well Mr and Mrs DiNozzo if you would like to follow me." She got up and led them through more doors.

"The children are all in the play area, you may observe but not approach just yet."

"Toda." Ziva said

"Excuse me?"

"Umm… thank you."

Tony and Ziva walked to where the smaller children were… they couldn't see Bella.

"Tony, I do not see her."

"Neither, let's ask." Tony left her standing there while he approached one of the nuns, Ziva hid her Star of David under her jumper.

"Excuse me, is there a little girl here by the name of Bella Cane?"

"There was until yesterday. She's gone missing."


	7. Chapter 7

**Hang onto your seats, I'm getting confused and I wrote it.**

For a moment Tony was stunned and then he was angry.

"How does an 8 week old baby just go missing?" Tony fumed before stalking away from the nun.

Ziva saw his angry face and immediately began worried.

"Tony what is going on?" Tony walked past her, grabbing her arm and pulling her after him.

"Bella's gone missing." He hissed.

"What?!"

"I know that's what I said. We need to call Gibbs."

"But then he'll find out Tony." She sounded like a teenager desperate not to be caught out after hours.

"Do you really care Ziva?" She was silent for a moment.

"No."

"Okay now we're on the same side, let's get back in the car and drive to NCIS. We'll get more background on the Cane family and go from there. Okay?"

"Gibbs will fire me as soon as I walk through those doors." She muttered.

"Then I will leave with you." Ziva stopped and turned to face Tony, blocking his path.

"You will not."

"Yes I will. Come on Ziva lets stop lying to each other. You like me right?"

"And what if I do?"

"Just answer the question." She twisted her mouth for a few moments before whispering 'yes'.

"Okay, and I like you, more than like, and I would follow you to the end of the earth and back and I wouldn't let anything happen to you, and if that means being beaten to a bloody pulp by Gibbs then I would do it… Besides I don't see Gibbs letting two of his best agents go."

"I trust you Tony but I can't see this working out."

_At headquarters._

Tony and Ziva stood nervously in the elevator, knowing that their fate lay on the other side of those steel doors. They dinged open and Ziva took a deep breath before stepping out into the squad room.

McGee looked up as the doors opened and saw Tony and Ziva. He frantically made cut-off motions with his hands and indicating for them to get back in the elevator. Ziva, however, shook her head and plowed on forward. It wouldn't have made a difference whether they went back the way they came, Gibbs noticed McGee's antics and looked up. Anger flared in his eyes and blue met brown in the icy stare across the bullpen. Gibbs motioned for Ziva and she walked forward, her shoulders square, her back straight.

Gibbs held out his hand in a silent but unmistakable gesture.

Without a sigh, a moment of regret, just cold, hard determination, Ziva nearly ripped her badge from her belt and slapped it in Gibbs hand then unholstered her weapon. For a moment it looked as if she was going to shoot him but instead she unloaded and slammed her gun, her holster and the magazine on his desk.

McGee looked in awe and fear as Ziva turned over her badge, remembering the last time he saw an incounter like this;_ the next time you give me your badge be prepared to lose it._

To everyone's surprise she walked off in the direction of Abby's lab and not out of the building.

Tony began to walk forward too. Much to McGee and Gibbs' surprise and to his own. _What the hell am I doing?_ He thought as he pulled his badge and his sig from his belt, laid them on his boss' desk and followed after Ziva.

McGee had seen the determination in his friends eyes when they turned their badges in and anger when Ziva had yelled at Gibbs. He knew why they were doing this and he agreed with them. McGee got up from his desk and put his badge and sig on the desk beside Tony and Ziva's.

"Sorry boss." He mumbled before heading after the recently fired agents.

**How ya like them apples? Sorry it's such a short chapter but I wanted a cliff-hanger. You know the drill, press that little button, it makes me happy and if I'm happy you get another chapter.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Just to clarify, Ziva was fired and McGee and Tony resigned in a last desperate act to save Ziva and get her her job back. How sweet of them. Sorry for any confusion. I'm getting way out of my depth and need to know if I should keep going 'cause I think I'm just rambling now. Any way… One turns into two, two turns into three will this turn into a chain-reaction that Gibbs can't stop.**

"Hey guys what are you doing here?" Abby asked when Ziva, Tony and McGee walked into her lab. She had processed everything there was no reason for them to be down here.

"I've just been fired." Ziva said casually.

"I-"

"I-" McGee and Tony said at the same time.

"We resigned." They said together. Abby was gob-smacked all three of her friends had just been terminated from NCIS.

"But he can't get rid of you. You guys are the best and there is no way that Gibbs can let this happen to all of you. If you go and if he is then I'm resigning too. That way Vance can't let you leave. But Gibbs will figure it out because he's Gibbs and he can do anything." She blurted out so fast that nobody really caught on to what she was saying until after the conversation had ended. Abby was already typing up papers on her computer and was about to email them to Director Vance when Ziva grabbed her arm.

"Hold on Abby. Gibbs fired me and we need your help before you decide to hand in your resignation." Abby stared up at her blankly. "Can you run a back ground check on Jacob Cane?"

"Wait a minute Gibbs fired you? Is there a new Gibbs I don't know about? 'Cause Gibbs would never do that."

"Abby can you do the background check?" Ziva reminded her, shaking her a little.

"Yes I can."

"Good. Do it?"

"Why?"

"Because Bella Cane has gone missing and over 90% of child abductions are conducted by a biological parent."

"I thought that Bella's dad was the only biological relation that she has."

"Yes well her mother may not be quite as dead as she says she is."

"I'm on it, do you guys want to hide out in ballistics while I look through the databases?"

"We'd love to Abby but we have to see Ducky before we're escorted off the base." McGee said trying not to hurt Abby's feelings. It didn't help much, Abby threw herself at Ziva; holding her in a bone-crushing hug while Ziva hesitantly patted her on the back.

"It was bad enough when you guys were split up and now you guys are leaving again and Gibbs won't bring you back because he is the one that is sending you away." She said too quickly, then let go of Ziva and embraced McGee.

"I'm going to miss you Timmy." She cried, not able to hold back the tears any longer. McGee placed a kiss on her forehead, a little to tender to be counted as a comfort kiss. She squeezed McGee all the harder. Tony braced himself but Abby wasn't about to pounce on him, she looked like a lost child; standing alone in the middle of her lab, crying into her hands. Tony walked forward and wrapped her in his arms, Abby clung to him for dear life but let go a minute later and started to search for information on the Cane family.

A hug and a visit later Tony, Ziva and McGee were back in the bullpen they packed up there stuff in the card board boxes they had brought up from the basement. Ziva was nearly finished all she needed to do was clear out the drawer that held her weapon's; Gibbs had her sig but she had more than that one firearm stashed away in that little drawer. She unlocked the drawer and pulled it open, she nearly fainted. Her badge and her sig were back in her drawer as if they had never been removed.

She ran over to McGee's desk and picked the lock before he even got the chance to ask what she was doing. His things were back too.

"Unpack." She demanded.

"What?" Tony and McGee asked in confused unison.

"Tony look," she held up McGee's badge.

"Why didn't you open _my_ desk?"

"Why Tony? You jealous?"

She rushed back to her desk and phoned Abby and Ducky. _We got our jobs back._

**I have the next chapter in my head, if I get 8 reveiws I'll post it tomorrow if not I'll post it later. Is this story going anywhere to you guys or should I throw it on the scrap heap and start another story?**


	9. Chapter 9

Gibbs walked casually into Abby's lab as if nothing had happened. Abby on the other hand…

"Hey Abs. What have you got for me?"

Abby slapped her silver fox, kissed it better, took her Caff-Pow and resumed typing.

Gibbs jumped from the unexpected blow, took back her Caff-Pow and asked again.

"What have you got for me."

"Another slap if you don't let me do my work. I wont kiss it better next time."

"Do you want this?" he asked shaking the drink.

"Yes, if it is free."

"Info first."

"Ziva is not happy with you." She said simply and snatched her drink then took a deep slurp.

"I already knew that."

"And that is all I know."

"Then what are you doing?"

"Background check."

"On?"

"Sophia Cane."

"Isn't she dead?"

"Should be."

"So?"

"So… I found that she was on a witness protection program, gave info to FBI about a marine she saw shooting another marine." Gibbs twitched, it was déjà vu, "Anyway she has a new name, new background, new life. It made her impossible to trace."

"But you did it anyway."

"You know me."

"I didn't know you would slap me."

"Good point, so you also didn't know that I didn't find her location I only know she is alive."

"I knew that."

"You did?"

"Yeah, or you would have told me first. You got the name for Sophia?"

"Michelle Kerr."

"Can't you just run her name through a search?"

"Why didn't I think of that?"

"Cause you're used to doing things the hard, complicated, doo-wacky way."

"I love it when you speak tech."

"Get me an address Abby." He said walking out.

"I'll find you Bella and I'll bring you home."


	10. Chapter 10

"Gibbs!" Vance called from upstairs. Gibbs waved to show he understood.

oOo

"Gibbs, why did you fire half your team and then reinstate them?"

"It was a way to get some answers."

"What were the questions?"

"That's need-to-know." Gibbs walked out on the new Director, he really didn't like him and he hated being civil to him.

The truth was he wasn't sure what the answers were because he didn't know the

questions. All he knew that he couldn't have a better team. They had been prepared to

throw away there jobs for an agent they hadn't even trusted the first time she had joined

their team. Now they couldn't stand to lose her, not even Gibbs had the heart to take her

away from the team and from him. He still owed her.

Tony did love her, McGee did too but not the same way.

Maybe that was the answer he was looking for even if he didn't know the question for it.

He had to find that little girl and he had to cut his team some slack.


End file.
